Aesthetica’s must-see shows for mid-October investigate the politics of image-making through documentary, post-production and installation.

After delving into commercial photography, Matthew Dempsey looked towards creating original work with draws a line between artifice and fine art.

Elmgreen & Dragset’s The Whitechapel Pool is a site-specific, derelict arena that reflects on gentrification and the fate of local amenities. 

Aesthetica Art Prize finalist Liz West is featured in a new book highlighting practitioners working at the cutting edge of light-based practice.

The Atlantic Project: After the Future is a new contemporary festival addressing today’s era of uncertainty and changing perceptions of art.

Winner of the 12th Foam Paul Huf Award, photographer Daniel Shea captures the effects of capitalism on the urban landscape.

Phaidon’s Living in the Desert is a visually striking compilation of buildings situated against the stark backdrop of desert landscapes. 

The colourful, 10-metre high Liverpool Mountain by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone marks a variety of key cultural milestones within the city.

Looking towards the future of creative practice, Affordable Art Fair Battersea showcases contemporary work by new, international artists.

Two exhibitions of fashion and portrait photography by Marilyn Stafford open across the UK this autumn, exploring a diverse oeuvre.

Compass Festival bursts onto the streets of Leeds this November, bringing live art and interactive encounters to cultural venues and city streets. 

Haroon Mirza’s works transform the gallery space through moving imagery, sculptural installation and electronic sound, questioning perception.

Chilean studio ELEMENTAL built its reputation on an innovative and pragmatic approach to social housing in the Chilean capital Santiago. 

Looking to the 21st century experience for inspiration, a selection of visionaries occupies the changing boundaries between truth and fiction.

Navigating the theme of Space, photography prize Prix Pictet investigates pressing subjects such overpopulation and the digital age. 

A retrospective of Japanese architect Tadao Ando collates 50 major projects, demonstrating an interest in simplicity and urban space. 

Recent Histories at Huis Marseille examines identity, migration and the legacy of colonialism through work by emerging African artists.

Society has never been so connected. A new publication and exhibition, Civilization, responds to the rapid pace of global development.

Brassaï is known for capturing enigmatic images of Paris during the interwar years. A new exhibition at SFMOMA reveals hidden depths.

Based between China and the UK, Feng Zhixuan specialises in socialist public art, crafting works that critically engage with the world around us. Zhixuan’s work appears in the current issue of the magazine.